Express & Star

Coventry City 1 Wolves 1 - match report and pictures

[gallery] League One champions Wolves gained their 100th point of the season but need to win their last game of the season against Carlisle to gain points record for the division outright after a 1-1 draw against Coventry.

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In a game of few clear-cut chances, Dave Edwards's ninth goal of the season six minutes from time was cancelled out within 60 seconds by Nathan Delfouneso.

Kenny Jackett's side were a few notches below the high tempo performances that have carried them to the title in a fairly uneventful but even game that saw Wolves come within a point of Charlton's 101-point milestone of 2011-12.

The recalled Liam McAlinden should have done better with two chances and Michael Jacobs and Danny Batth forced saves from Joe Murphy, while Carl Ikeme didn't have a stop to make after his heroics at Leyton Orient.

Jackett made four changes to the side that beat Orient 3-1 on Easter Monday as he rested his captain and two top scorers.

Back came Matt Doherty, James Henry, Lee Evans and McAlinden at the expense of skipper Sam Ricketts, Jack Price, Bakary Sako and Nouha Dicko, who all dropped to the bench.

Sako was celebrating his 26th birthday at the ground where he scored a belter on his Wolves debut.

It was an even first half which got off to a slow start and Coventry's former Villa striker Delfouneso had the first chance, rifling just wide from 25 yards after 12 minutes.

Three minutes later came Wolves' first opening but McAlinden could only guide his header straight at ex-Albion and Walsall keeper Murphy from Evans's deep cross.

Pacy winger Mark Marshall carved himself a half chance after twisting and turning inside Doherty but he could only lash high and wide from an angle in the 19th minute.

There was an intriguing battle developing between Richard Stearman and 22-goal Callum Wilson and the former blocked a long-range effort from the latter on 25.

Four minutes later McAlinden had another sniff of goal when he turned his marker but fired wide.

Wolves' best chance was their last one of the half in the 39th minute, when Jacobs – back at his old Northampton stomping ground – had Murphy parrying his 25-yard curling effort and Jordan Clarke made a vital clearance from the rebound ahead of Edwards rushing in.

Like the first period, the second took a while to warm up and Wolves had the first opening when Henry's cross flew across goal to Golbourne, who teed up Evans for a weak left-foot effort straight at Murphy on 51.

Wolves brought on their French connection of Dicko and Sako on the hour for McAlinden and Jacobs.

Sako immediately won the corner that saw the next Wolves opening when Batth's header forced Murphy into a falling save from Henry's flag-kick.

But as the second half wore on, it looked increasingly like being a goalless draw with neither side creating clear-cut chances or getting on top.

Cyrus Christie rifled a fierce effort across goal after the suspicion of a handball by Wilson on 68 minutes.

Five minutes later, Sako cut inside from the left and rifled a fierce right-footed effort which flashed wide.

John Fleck saw a well-struck drive headed away by Batth with Ikeme already committed to his dive on 75.

Sako's angled free kick was held at the second attempt by Murphy with Evans closing in to stab home.

Then came the breakthrough when Edwards arrived late in the six-yard box to bundle home Sako's excellent cross for his ninth goal of the season.

But Wolves' celebrations were barely over when Coventry equalised.

It looked like sloppy defending as Delfouneso was allowed to guide a header down the centre of the goal from Marshall's free-kick.

The goals sparked a fairly uneventful game belatedly into life but neither team went on to force another chance.

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